Splice-bar.



F. A. SCHROEDER.

SPLIE BAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1907.

947, 58 l D Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

N Uni i; sans PATENT orrrcn.

FREDERICK A. SCHROEDER, 0F WESTMONT BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGNOR TO CAMBRIA STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SPLICE-BAB.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Sor-mon- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Westmont, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Splice-Bars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usev the same.

Under the conditions of practical use in railway track, it has been discovered that certain angle splice bars and particularly those lwhich have a central dependent portion projecting downwardly in an inclined direction below the base of the rail, may develop weakness at the external rentrant angle near the junction of the approximately vertical portion of the splice-bar which fits between the head and the ange of the rail and the inclined portion of same which bears against. the upper surface of the lower flange of the rail. This weakness is caused by the bending action of the material at this point, which it is my present purpose to obviate by means of my invention as hereinafter set forth.

In order to accomplish my purpose of strengthening the splice-bar with resultant economy, I add some material in the external rentrant angle above referred to, the exterior of said additional material or integral thickening being curved to a long radius and to compensate for this additional metal, I slightly reduce the thicknesses of the lower portions of the splice-bar as compared with the ordinary or rior constructions. As, however, the addition of metal in the rentrant angle in the manner described, forms a surface such that a flat nut or bolt-head will not properly seat itself thereon, I make a counterbore on the exterior of the splice-bar approximately central with the axis of the bolt or similar fastening-means, which counterbore has a fiat-surface against which the bolt-head or the nut of the splice bolt may properly bear to hold the parts firmly in posltion. v

Having'thus given a general description of my invention, I will now, in order to make the matter more clear, refer to the accompanying sheet of drawings, which forms art of this specification and in which like etters and characters refer to like parts.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled March 29, 1907.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

Serial No. 365,279.

Figure l is a side elevation of a rail joint showmg my improved splice-bars secured in position. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line II-II of Fig. 1 looking in the dire'ction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a pair of my improved splice-bars attached to the rail, while Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of a splice-bar of the character described embodying my improvement.

Referring now to the various characters of reference on the drawings 1-1`are railroad rails shown as of the present standard T- section.

2 represents the up er portion of a splicebar of the character described, which'upper portion lits closely between the lower surface of the head and the upper surface of the flange of the rail as shown.

3 is an inclined portion of the angle splice-bar which bears on the upper surface of the rail flange, while 4 represents the lower or central depending member of the splice-bar.

The splice-bolts are indicated at 5 fitted with the usual head and nut as illustrated.

7 indicate holes of approximately circular cross section in the splice-bars through which the threaded end of the bolts 5 project, while 8 represent oval or approximately elliptical holes in which the head ends of the bolts rest, each bolt end being provided with an lenlargement corresponding with the shape of the oral or elliptical hole aforesaid to prevent the bolt turning therein when the nut is screwed up after the manner enstomary in constructions of this kind.

The particular feature of my invention consists of the addition of the curved portion at the re'entrant angle indicated at 9 the surface. of this portion being of, long radius joining the upper portion 2 of the splice-bar and the adjacent inclined portion 3 as shown, and in order to provide proper bearings for the heads of the bolts and for the nuts, counterbores 6 are formed, the lateral limits of said counterbores being 4substantially equidistant from the center of the -axis of the bolts and bolt holes, the bearing surface of each of said counterbores being approximately a plane at right angles to said bolt axis, thereby providing a suitable bearin for the head of the bolt, the nut and a nutockv.- in case the latter should be used. v

terial, as will be understood by one skilled.

In Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings,the dotted lines indicate the old or prior form and approximate dimensions of a splicen bar, which I have reduced inthickness to that shown by the full lines, in order to compensate for the addition of the metal introduced by the large fillet 9 thereby accomplishing my purpose of strengthening the bar Without increasing its total weight or cost. The form given to the splice-bar by the large fillet 9 enables it to better resist the. stresses to which it is subjected in use and provides increased strength with no increase of main this art. The shape or lateral boundary of the counter/bore as formed is approxiinately'semi-ci-rcular or somewhat less than a semicircle, as indicated more particularly in Fig. l of the drawings, although in making the same, lI prefer touse a tool which `will take a very light scraping cut throughout the entire surface of an annulus surrounding the bolt-hole.

Although I have vshown and described my invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limitedy to the exactand vspecific construction shown and described, but may use such substitutions, modications or equivalents thereof, .as are embraced within' thescope ofv my invention or as pointed out g in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

'1. In an angular splice-bar of the class described, having an upper splice-bar portion adapted to t between the head and flange of the rail, an inclined portion bearing against the upper surface of the iange of t bolt openings, said counterbores each having i a flat surface substantially at right angles lto the axes of the bolt openings.

2. In a splice-bar of the character described, comprising a splice-portionadapted to fit between the head and flange of the rail,

and provided with holes therein for the reception of the splice-bolts, said splice-bar having also an inclined portion adapted to bear on the upper surface of the rail flange and a substantially central downwardly in clined dependent portion, all of the portions of said splice b ar being integral, a

'thickening of the metal at theA juncture of the splice-bar portion and the inclined portion, said thickening being formed by a fillet.;

of long radius, counterbores of approximately semi-circular or segmental outlinew the centers of which approximately coincide with the bolt-hole centers aforesaid, said counterbores each having a plane surface at substantially right angles to the bolt axis, thereby forming proper bearings for the bolt-heads and nuts.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. s-cHRoEDER.

lVitnesses ELMER SEAvEY,

EDITH M. DAWSON. 

